Man admits beating girls in their sleep

An Allentown man has admitted beating his daughter and his girlfriend's daughter as they slept on an August morning after he spent the night drinking.

Brandon Kranz, 38, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of simple assault. The misdemeanor charges each carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

In return for his plea, two counts of summary harassment were dropped.

According to a criminal complaint:

An Allentown police officer was dispatched at 6:09 a.m. Aug. 10 to Kranz's Carlisle Street home on a report of a domestic assault. The officer knocked on the door and two girls, ages 14 and 12, ran out and hid behind the officer. The girls were "crying in a sheer panic," the officer said.

Kranz's daughter had injuries to her face, including a black eye, bruises and bleeding from her ear that appeared to come from a bite. She also had scratches on her arms, back and shoulders.

She told the officer her father woke her from a deep sleep and assaulted her. She said he pulled her to the ground several times by her hair, then punched and kicked her several times. She said he also bit her ear and finger and bounced her head off a metal bunk bed several times.

The other girl, who police said is the daughter of Kranz's girlfriend, said Kranz also pulled her to the ground by her hair. She said he threw her to the ground, slapped her several times and threatened her.

Lehigh County Assistant District Attorney Robert Schopf said Kranz says he had been drinking the night before the attack and that the alcohol contributed to his behavior.

Kranz is scheduled to be sentenced in January by Judge Maria L. Dantos.

Court records show Kranz has been in Lehigh County Prison under $50,000 bail since his arrest. Kranz also has a simple assault conviction stemming from a 2010 case, according to court records.